Improvement in fire-proof safes



J. PARRBL.

Fire-Proof Safe.

Patented Feb. 4,1879.

' 2 Sheets-Sheetl;

ETLRS. PHDTO L THQGRAPH EH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 J. PARREL.

Fire-Proof Safe.

No. 211,896. 4Pa'fen'ted Feb. 4, v1879.

Wy@ fw NlETERS, PHDTO-LTHOGRAPHER WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

JOHN EAEREL, or NEw vonk, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-PROOF SAFES.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,896, dated February 4, 1879; application tiled April 17, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN FARREL, of New York city, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safes Used for the Keeping of Valuables, whereof the following is a specification:

My invention relates to safes which have their doors lined with a wooden plate, which serves as a shield to prevent the contents from being injured by contact with the iron when, in case of re, the safe chances to fall on its face; and it consists in utilizing the lining of the door for the purposes of a table or desk, by hinging a portion of such lining` so that it may be placed in an inclined position and held so, such hinged portion being provided with suitable means of securing it in the Iposition desired when the safe is open. When the safe is closed it serves its usual purpose of a guard or shield.

The drawings represent the improvements applied to a safe having a frame of .a tubular construction.

Figure l represents a vertical crosssectional view of the safe so made; Fig. 2, a detached view of a corner cap, showing the screw-thread to receive the screw-threaded end of the grooved pipes or tubes forming the edges of the safe, also the grooves at the sides to receive plates forming the outer surfaces of the safe; Fig. 3, an end view of the safe-door, showing the adjustable table folded up Fig. 4, a similar view, showing the table extended; Fig. 5, a front view of the part to contain ink, pens, die., for the table or desk.

. A are the large plates forming the surfaces of the safe-that is, the outer shell; B, the tubes forming the edges of the safe; C, the grooves in these tubes and the corner caps D, to receive the edges of the plates A. E is the inner casin g, to receive books, papers, jewelry, or other valuables. G is an outer lining` of flannel, felt, or other material capable of absorbing and retaining moisture. Gr is an inner lining of the same material. H is the door of the safe. I K is a lining of wood, which, when the door is closed, forms the door that shuts against the front of the casing E, so that in case the safe, during a fire to which it is exposed, should fall on its face, the contents ofthe case E will not be thrown against the iron surface of the door, resulting in injury to such contents from rust, Ste. This part is divided in two, and the upper portion, I, is permanently fixed to the door, while the lower portion, K, is hinged to the upper, so that it may be raised up and fastened at an angle, or in a horizontal position, to serve as a table or desk when the door is open. The part I is used to hold ink, rbc., for writing purposes, and the leaf Kis provided with a hinged bar, L, adapted to be set in a suitable stop, such as the teeth of a rack M, whereby to sustain the leaf K when used as a table or desk, as in Fig. el-that is, either slanting for a desk, as shown, or horizontal for a table.

The bar L is substantially a movable rest, for which other forms could be substituted, many being in use for a like purpose in other situations.

I do not, therefore, confine myself to said bar 5 nor do I conne myself to the rackM for a stop to hold up the movable rest, as there are other devices that will answer the purpose. A hinged supporting-Hap could be applied, so as to be thrown out horizontally under the leaf K, and when not in use be moved back against the door out ofthe way.

To prevent unnecessary motion of the leaf K when not in use, it is held still by a suitable catch at its lower edge.

Instead of wood, any other non -corrosive substance that is a bad conductor or a nonconductor of heat may be used.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a safe-door, of a shield or lining -of wood or other non-conducting substance, the upper part of which is recessed to receive writing materials, and the lower part hinged to the upper, and adapted for adjustment at an angle to the door, so as to serve as a desk or table when the door is open, all substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the safe-door,of the shield I K, constructed as described, and provided with means of sustaining the hinged part K at an angle to the door when used for a desk or table while the door is open, and with a suitable catch at the lower edge to hold the leaf K in place when acting as a shield whilethe door is closed, substantially as described.

J OIIN FARREL.

Witnesses GEORGE E. BUCKLEY, ALBERT E. ZAGHERLE. 

